Automobile-fender.



L 1 G. W. DE GLEMENTS.

' AUTOMOBILE FENDER.

APPLIOATIOK FILED DEO.15, 1909.

Patehted an. 24, 1911.

UNITED srar gspgrnnr OFFICE.

GEORGE W. DE CLEMENTS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOCHARLES A. COEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMOBILE-FENDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

fender for automobiles.

In carrying out my invention, I provide theautoinobile with a guardwhich is backed by springs, and which is adapted to act as a bumper,being disposed in position to strike a person standing in the path ofthe automobile. Below the said bumper, and immediatelyin front of thesteering wheels, I arrange the fender. A catch is provided for holdinthe fender normally raised from the ground, and the bumper is providedwith means for operating the said catch. In this Way the fender isautomatically released when the bumper strikes a person, and the latteris 'rht by the fender and prevented from going under the automobile.

The object of my invention, as thus constructed, is to provide a fenderwhich will not be clumsy or cumbersome, which will not be unsightly, andwhich will automatically be brought into action when necessityrequires,.as will hereinafter more fully ap ear.

7 To the foregoing and other useful ends, my invention consists inmatters hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of the forward portionsof an automob1le,'showing the same equipped with a bumper-controlledfender embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the front Wheels being shown indotted lines. Fig. 3 is a detail section on line 3-3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4is a vertical section on line 44 in Fi 1.

is thus illustrated, the automobile has the usual front steering wheelsA and the springs B. The front guard rail C is carried on the forwardends D of the rods cl, which latter are mounted in the bearings'rl onthe sides of the said springs. The springs (Z on said ,rods tend to keepthe guard C pressed forward, the movement in this direction bcinglimited by pins d in the rods, which strike against the bearings d. Thusthe guard 0 extends across the front of the automobile in positionto-act as a bumper.

The fender E is of any suitable form or construction, and as shown isslightly concave on its front or upper side. A pair of links or arms aare pivoted at their front ends to the said fender, in any suitablemanner, and at their rear ends to the bars a. Springs 6- are applied tothe said links a, where they are pivoted to the bars 0', and serve tothrow the fender downward. The top of the fender has a round bar or pipe0 and the springs B are connected by a similar bar or pipe 6*, thelatter above the former. The bar or pi e c has a housing on the bottomthereo ,and the bar or pipe c has a similar housing cf on the topthereof.

These bars or pipes c and e are connected is suitably applied to theupper ends of said catches to enable them to hold the fender. A trip 0is secured to the bumper C and extends backward to operate the catches aby engaging the cross bar c on their upper ends, when the bfimper isactuated by striking a person or object. This, of course, rcleases thefender and allows it to fall to the position shown in dotted lines inFig. 2. \V hen the fender is again raised, the bar 0 thereof strikes thelower ends of the catches e and the latter automatically snap into placeand hold the fender.

When the fender falls it catches and prevents the pcrson from goingunder the automobile. The lazy tongs 1; close and obstruct the spaceover the fender, and hold the upper end i of the latter in position.Thus the engine and gearing of the automobile cannot pass over theperson, as was heretofore possible.

The fender is not clumsy or cumbersome, and is not unsightly, as it isnormally raised and disposed inconspicuously below the bumper. Y

I do not, of course, limit myself to the exact constructimi shown anddescribed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination with an automobile, a movable bumper attached theretoand pro to gravitate to ment located just in front of said Wheels,

bumper. with the front steering wheels, the steering gear and otheressential elements thereof, a fender operable at the front of themachine, means for controlling it, parallel bars under the automobile,and pivoted links connecting the forward ends of said bars with saidfender, said links being disposed back of and below the fender.

7. In combination with a motor vehicle, a movable bumper, a bodilygravitating fender thereunder, pivotal links connecting the fender at apoint between its upper and lower ends to the motor vehicle frame, anextensible guard connecting the upper end of the fender to the frame ofthe vehicle, and means operated by the moving ofthe bumper to releasethe fender and permit it to fall and said guard to be extended.

8. In combination with a motor vehicle, a gravitating fender connectedthereto, an extensible guard connecting the upper end of tile tender tothe vehicle at the fender, said guard filling vided with springs forholding the in normal position, a vertically gravitatingfemler,.vertically swinging links connecting the fender to theautomobile frame, a catch for holding the fender in an elevated posi- 1tion, and means operated by the bumper-i for releasing said catch topermit the fender operative position. i 2. In combination with anautomobile I comprising front steering wheels, an attachment locatedjust in front of said Wheels, 1 comprising a movable bumper, a pivoted,

I l 1 l l fender below the bumper, a catch. for normally holding thefender raised above the ground, which catch engages the upper and rearedge of the fender, and means by which the bumper operates the saidcatch to allow the fender to fall to the ground.

3. In combination with an automobile comprising front steering wheels,an attachmentlocated just in front of said wheels, comprising a bodilymovable fender, means for holding the fender up, means for releasing thefender, and extensible means for closing or obstructing the space abovethe 1 1n the space fender when the latter falls. 1

down, a catch for; holding the fender up and the guard contracted, andmeans on the vehicle for releasing said catch to permit the guard toextend itself and the fender to fall.

4. In combination with an automobile comprising front steering wheels,an attachcomprising a fender, means for causing the fender to movedownward, and a lazy tongs for closing or obstructing the space abovethe fender, said lazy tongs being extended when the fender is down, andcontracted when the fender is up.

5. In combination with an automobile comprising front steering wheels,an attachment located just in front of said wheels, comprising a fender,arms pivoted to the sides of the fender, supports to which the l rearends of said. arms are pivoted, a device f engaging the top of saidfender to hold it raised from the ground, and means for opera ting saiddevice to cause the tender to move down.

G. In an automobile,and in con'ibination a gravitating fender, anextensible guard connecting the upper edge thereof to the motor vehicleat a point above, means for releasing the fender and permitting the sameto fall and the guard to be extended, a downwardly turned channelhousing inclosing the upper edge of the guard, and an upwardly facingchannel housing mounted on the tender and inclosing the lower edge ofthe guard, for the purpose set forth.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 13th day of December, 1909.

GEORGE W. DE CLEMENTS. Wi tnesses .R-osn SoHNnUn, WM. B. DARWIN..

above the fender when the fender is up or 9. In combination with a motorvehicle,

a point above

